Live roller conveyer



May 15, 1934. s. EGGLEsToN LIVE ROLLER CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet `1 .Filed March 13. 1931 3mm SmEffJesm 2&1, i@

May 15, 1934- s. EGGLEsToN 1,959,157

ILV E ROLLER CONVEYER Filed March 13, 19.31 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmnnkot a, @MWV May 15 1934 I s; EGGLESTON 1,959,157

LIVE ROLLER CONVEYER Filed March 13. 1931 v4 sheets-sheet 3 35 Z 1f Z6 l 2,5 )al :u ""6 z v l A ffA ,A

grs/whim May 15, 1934. s, EGGLESTON 1,959,157 l LIVE ROLLER coNyEY'En v Fled'lla-roh 13. v1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 :mko/o fmz'zyjlem PATEN-rf ori-'ica LIVE RGLLER -CONVEYEB Smith Eggleston, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Standard Conveyor Company, North St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota 8 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyers of the live roller type wherein packages, boxes or other load unitsI are directly supported on rollers which are power-driven, the device being particularly designed for curved sections of such conveyers although it may be used for straight sections.

It is my object to provide novel and eilcient driving mechanism for conveyers of this kind.

Other objects are to provide an inexpensive' drive for conveyers having horizontal or inclined curved sections and to minimize friction and waste power by providing improved connections for driving a multiplicity of rollers from a single power-driven belt.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical arrangement ofmy improved conveyer;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevation showing suitable driving connections between straight and curved sections of the conveyer;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken on the lines 4--4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the conveyer;

Fig. 7 is a typical central, vertical section through one of the rollers and supporting and driving mechanism therefor;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing an alternate arrangement of the drive belt and pulleys for a curved section of rollers;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on the line 10--10 of Fig. 4.

My improved conveyer has a multiplicity of rollers 11 mounted between an outer rail l2 and an inner rail 13 forming a curved section of Arollers adapted to support loads directly on their upper peripheries of the rollers. The several rollers are provided with anti-friction bearings on axial rods 14 supported at their ends on the rails 12 and 13. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 7, guide rails 15 are mounted on bracket arms 16 above the ends of the rollers to direct the load units along the conveyer. In the embodiment illustrated, end thrust is transmitted to the rails 12 and 13 by sleeve members 17 tting on the rods 14 and engaging anti-friction balls 18 which operate in an annular race in the sleeve 17 and in an outer race 19 in a bearing casing 20. Other suitable or well known means for supporting the rollers on the side rails may be provided, as is well known in this art.

Each of the rollers 11 has fixed on one end thereof a conical pulley 21. Directly beneath the pulley 21 is a guide pulley 22 adapted to retain a V-shaped belt 23 in contact with the pulley 21.

line 9-9 of Application March 13, 1931, Serial No. 522,332

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the pulleys 21 and 22 are located adjacent to the outer rail 12 of the curve and the conical faces of the pulleys are disposed with the V-- shaped openings for the belt 23 open radially outward relative to the curve. The pulleys 22 are supported on stud bolts 25 projecting from an angle bar 24. The latter bar is bolted at intervals to the bottom of the rail 12 and spacing blocks or shims 26 are employed on the connected bolts to permit adjustment of the spacing of the pulleys 22 from the pulleys 21.

In Figs. l and 5 a short, straight section of rollers is shown, interposed 4between the two curved sections, and the rollers 27 of the straight section have pulleys 21a (like the pulleys-21) and pulleys 22a (like the pulleys 22), to retain the belt 23 in contact with the periphery of the pulleys 21a., As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the belt 23 passes around the periphery of a drive pulley 28 mounted on a vertical shaft 29. Near the opposite end of the live roller conveyer an idler pulley 30 is mounted on a similar vertical shaft. The driving or power reach `of the belt 23 extends from the pulley 30 between the several pairs of pulleys 21 and 22 and 21a and 22a at the outer ends of the rollers and is guided thereby around the curve to the pulley 28. The idle reach of the belt extends from the pulley 28 to an idler 31, mounted beneath one curved section, and thence to a second idler 32 (Fig. 4) beneath the other curved section and then to the pulley 30. By this arrangement, the belt is entirely conned beneath the conveyer.

The vertical drive shaft 29 is journaled in suitable bearings 33 and 34, supported on the conveyer frame, and is driven through beveled gears 35 connecting it to a horizontal shaft 36. 'I'he latter shaft is supported in bearings on the conveyer frame and is adapted to be driven by a sprocket wheel 37. The sprocket wheel 37 is, in turn, driven by a chain 38 extending around a drive pinion 39 on a horizontal shaft 40. A large drum 41 is fixed on the shaft 40 to support a main conveyer belt 42 adapted to support the load units on its upper surface. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the belt 42 extends between continuations of the guide rails 15 and is driven in such direction as to deliver the boxes or other load units in the direction indicated by an arrow. Any suitable or well known power drive for the belt 42 may be provided. In the embodiment illustrated, a short section of gravity rollers 44 is interposed between the belt 42 and the live rollers. This gravity section delivers the load units to the rst live roller 11a. By a similar arrangement at the delivery end of the curved section of live rollers, the load may be delivered over gravity rollers 45 to a wide conveyer belt 46 traveling in the appropriate direction.

Suitable supporting means for the idlers 31 and 32 are shown in Figs. 4 and 10 and, as the mountings for these idlers are similar, only one will be described in detail. The idler 32 has a suitable bearing on a vertical stub shaft 47 and this shaft is secured in a bracket 48 having a horizontal portion 49 which is slidable along a horizontalhr extending frame member 50. To permit adjustment of the tension of the belt, the bracket member 49 has a slot 51 through which a bolt 52 is inserted for securing the bracket 48 to the frame member 50. The belt 23 is guided between iianges on the peripheries of the idlers 31 and 32.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I have illustrated an alternate arrangement wherein the pulleys and driving reach of the belt are located at the inner side of the curve rather than at the outer side, as in the preferred construction. Rollers 53, suitable for supporting and advancing the load, are mounted between outer and inner rails l2 and 13 respectively, as in the preferred construction, and conical pulleys 54 are secured to the ends of said rollers at the inner side of the same. Beneath each of the pulleys 54 is mounted a conical pulley 55 adapted to retain a V-shaped belt 56 in driving engagement with the periphery of the associated pulley 54. The belt 56 isdriven by a pulley 57 and is guided by a pulley 58,'said pulleys being suitably mounted on the conveyer frame. The pulley 57 may be driven through suitableconnections with a drive chain 59 having connections with a drum 60 driven by a conveyer belt 61.

Assuming the direction of movement to be as indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, load units delivered by the belt 42 and rollers 44 to the live roller conveyer are advanced therealong by the powerdriven rollers and then are delivered to the gravity rollers 45 which, in turn advance the load to the belt conveyer 46. With the device shown in Fig. 8, the packages or other load units are delivered to the live roller conveyer by the belt 61 and are thereafter positively advanced upon the upper peripheries of the rollers 53 which are driven by the belt 56.

It will be evident that the drive belt live rollers extends substantially tangentially relative to the faces of the pulleys 21, 21a and 54 and the tendency of the belt to straighten to a cord of the curve maintains it firmly in driving engagement with said pulleys. As the heavier loads are applied, the tension in the belt and the radial force thereon increase so that slipping of the belt is prevented and a positive drive for the rollers is insured.

The live roller conveyer may be arranged substantially horizontally or at an incline and may be extended to give any degree of curvature horizontally or in inclined, spiral arrangement. While I prefer the V-shaped drive belt for the live rollers, it will be understood that other cross-sectional shapes may be employed, for example, a circular form, and the faces of the pulleys 2l and 22 may be formed to fit such other forms of belts. It will be evident further that all of the rollers of the conveyer need not be driven. Thus it is frequently desirable to place idler rollers alternately with power-driven rollers.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A curved section of rollers having in combifor the nation, a pair of pulleys disposed to engage a. belt between their adjacent peripheries, a traction roller operatively connected to one of said pulleys, a belt for driving said roller extending tangentially to said pulleys in the bight of the same and means for actuating said belt.

2. A conveyer having in combination, a pair of substantially conical pulleys disposed to receive a belt between their adjacent peripheries, a traction roller operatively connected to one o! said pulleys, a V-shaped belt for driving said roller arranged to be retained in the bight of said pulleys and means for actuating said belt.

3. A curved section of conveyer rollers having in combination, a plurality of rollers, coaxial pulleys fast on said rollers for driving the same, a belt arranged to approximately follow the curve of the conveyer in engagement with said pulleys and guide pulleys each having its periphery spaced from the periphery of one of said ilrst mentioned pulleys a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said belt, said pulleys forming guide passages for the belt which are open toward the outer side of the curve and restricted toward the inner side thereof.

4. A curved section of rollers having in combination, a plurality of rollers to be driven and forming a support for a load, a conical pulley fast on each of said rollers for driving the same, a belt extending tangentially relative to all of said pulleys and a conical guide pulley associated with each of said first mentioned pulleys to retain said belt in `driving engagement therewith.

5. A curved section of rollers having in combination, a plurality of rollers to be driven and forming a support for a load, a conical pulley fast on each of said rollers for driving the same, a v belt extending tangentially relative to all of said pulleys and a conical guide pulley associated with each of said rst mentioned pulleys to retain said belt in driving engagement therewith.

6. A curved conveyer having in combination a roller arranged to engage a load, a pulley fast on said roller, a belt engaging said pulley and a guide pulley having its periphery slightly spaced from the periphery of said rst mentioned pulley to conne said belt in the bight of said pulleys, the peripheries of said pulleys being spaced apart a greater distance toward the outer side of the conveyer curve than toward the inner side of said curve.

7. A curved, live roller conveyer comprising a series of load supporting and transporting live rollers, a belt for driving the live rollers, the belt being curved laterally in the direction of the width of the conveyer to follow the curve of the same and a rotary element beneath each of said rollers for coniining the belt in engagement therewith and permitting said belt to bend and extend in a straight line from each of said rollers to the adjacentv rollers while following said curve.

8. A curved, live roller conveyer comprising a series of load supporting and transporting live rollers, a V type belt for driving the live rollers, the belt being curved laterally in the direction of the width of the conveyer to followthe curve of the same, and means beneath the rollers for retaining the belt in driving engagement with the rollers.

SMITH EGGLESTON. 

